One of democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s daughters is campaigning in Iowa today and tomorrow. Vanessa Kerry’s first stop was in Des Moines at a senior center, where she spoke with about 50 retired Iowans. Vanessa Kerry says as a medical student, rising prescription drug costs, Medicare and health care reform are “incredibly important” issues to her. She criticizes President Bush for proposing a 17 percent increase in the premium Medicare recipients — the elderly — have to pay. Vanessa Kerry says that means seniors will pay, on average, $140 more per year. She says “while George Bush may not be raising your taxes, he’s going to raise your cost of living.” Vanessa Kerry says this election presents Iowans and Americans a chance to say “no, we’re not going to take this anymore.” Kerry reviewed her father’s health care reform plan for the crowd, which would shift the cost of caring for severely-ill or injured Americans to the government, which Kerry hopes will keep private insurance premiums lower. It also would allow Americans to buy-in to a government-run health care plan. Vanessa Kerry says “there’s a health care crisis across the board, and President Bush hasn’t even talked about until recently, as the election draws near.” Vanessa Kerry discussed the same issue over the noon-hour at a church in Ames. She’s due in Fort Dodge at 4:30 this afternoon and will appear in Mason City’s public library at 10 o’clock tomorrow morning to talk about rising health care costs for seniors.
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